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Sensitive, selective and low detection limit of NO2 gas sensor based on Cu/ZnO/rGO nanocomposites

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Abstract

ZnO and copper-doped ZnO nanocomposites with 1, 3, 5 and 7 wt% copper were synthesized using a simple co-precipitation method. Further, GO was synthesized by modified Hummer’s method and the formation of Cu/ZnO/rGO composites was carried out by using chemical route. The structural properties of the synthesized nanocomposites were investigated using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy that revealed a hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO which remained intact even after incorporation of Cu\(^{2+}\) ions into ZnO lattice. Optical studies revealed increased defect density and oxygen vacancies in the ZnO structure that can be utilized effectively for NO2 sensing application. Moreover, 5 wt% Cu/ZnO (ZC5) exhibited a nanorod-like morphology. Furthermore, ZC5 showed excellent sensing response (SR = 5) towards NO2 with lower detection limit (LOD) of 1 ppm which further improved due to rGO incorporation (ZCR2) (SR = 6.79) at 200 °C. The synthesized nanocomposites also exhibited very good stability \(\approx\) 90 and 75\(\%\) for ZC5 and ZCR2 nanocomposites, respectively, over 30 days. Thus, ZC5 and ZCR2 can potentially be utilized as effective NO\(_2\) gas sensors.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the core research grant (CRG) provided by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) (CRG/2019/004990).

Funding

This study was funded by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electronic and Instrumentation Science, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune, Maharashtra, 411007, India

    Mrudul Modak, Sunil Mahajan & Shweta Jagtap

  2. Department of Electronic Science, MAEER’s MIT Arts, Commerce and Science College, Alandi (D), Pune, Maharashtra, 412105, India

    Sunil Mahajan

  3. Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology, Panchawati Road, Pune, Maharashtra, 411008, India

    Manish Shinde & Sunit Rane

Authors
  1. Mrudul Modak
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  2. Sunil Mahajan
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  3. Manish Shinde
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  4. Sunit Rane
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  5. Shweta Jagtap
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Contributions

Mrudul Modak contributed to the conceptualization of this study, methodology, formal analysis, writing—original draft and Investigation. Sunil Mahajan contributed to conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis and investigation. Manish Shinde and Sunit Rane supervised the study. Shweta Jagtap contributed to the conceptualization, methodology, supervision, writing—review and editing and project administration.

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Correspondence to Shweta Jagtap.

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Modak, M., Mahajan, S., Shinde, M. et al. Sensitive, selective and low detection limit of NO2 gas sensor based on Cu/ZnO/rGO nanocomposites. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 33, 26205–26224 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-022-09306-2

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